![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GNXCKPEMRCCDHVWAIN52G5BFYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=966ebeff57a070b20e4482632b8a2b2f846b7da77a1a0c755c67304135053aec&width=400&height=225)
Stallholders sort their desert truffle stock at the market in Hama, west-central Syria
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DJBPUHQ3LA5NWPJLC3ZWZJTE3A.jpg?smart=true&auth=6d158e2bda94c45e093dedd4bf22ab41ab52a02c99af547ecdedf4d18b7e87bf&width=400&height=225)
A merchant offers a customer desert truffles at a market in the city of Hama in west-central Syria. All photos by AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5FGW5JLZKQYBZWNPYYQH4XFDDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=eff51fadbfb9f7f9651b92aa8b1baebbcff1675da956d4e790200f79af52762e&width=400&height=225)
A platter of desert truffles for sale at the Hama market
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YZSPB2VJFWQFT723JEHQXMURDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=2186488825a9391a7cd8c237af5aff87538df1e05cf4871974f944d4bcb3741a&width=400&height=225)
Sorting desert truffles at the market
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7CBMHX53B3YX4SM4SDH5XEQGPA.jpg?smart=true&auth=3338913e892907fe7e8b8b0ffe4bcadc053696ca626714c4ea32c28b4b6309f7&width=400&height=225)
A merchant presents desert truffles at the Hama market. The prized fungi are known as 'yellow gold'
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/63HORA5ZGIOMWLEQII3M2BSVUM.jpg?smart=true&auth=16920608c2ec930beb903425db304556a01809a283294e27831a32b440e0e943&width=400&height=225)
Stallholders sort desert truffles at the Hama market. They are collected between February and April
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PWSVQ77U6KVUDZE3X2YJNPKII4.jpg?smart=true&auth=cc267bab69d60be4959953aba4cf220b301d8e6683bbedd45750a3a0a3d80d88&width=400&height=225)
Truffles for sale in Hama. Each season, hundreds of impoverished Syrians search for the yellow gold in the vast Badia Desert region
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YZS3G2E7XIYKLXEXWDRDHTIZOA.jpg?smart=true&auth=1ecc6dccf42d7056f1b6c3e45189ccfe9384743b8f93cfe42df59e1600bc9315&width=400&height=225)
Truffle hunting is a dangerous pursuit, as the Badia Desert is a hideout for extremists and is littered with landmines
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TVUSGJN4I2Y7WPOSJ4VJABSCEU.jpg?smart=true&auth=b684944d24ab310ab4ca57f0ae9e87cc3b9e7ea55c0f55b8f64609f35d26ecfd&width=400&height=225)
In the 2023 season, more than 130 truffle hunters have been killed, mostly by extremists and mines, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GNXCKPEMRCCDHVWAIN52G5BFYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=966ebeff57a070b20e4482632b8a2b2f846b7da77a1a0c755c67304135053aec&width=400&height=225)
Stallholders sort their desert truffle stock at the market in Hama, west-central Syria
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DJBPUHQ3LA5NWPJLC3ZWZJTE3A.jpg?smart=true&auth=6d158e2bda94c45e093dedd4bf22ab41ab52a02c99af547ecdedf4d18b7e87bf&width=400&height=225)
A merchant offers a customer desert truffles at a market in the city of Hama in west-central Syria. All photos by AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5FGW5JLZKQYBZWNPYYQH4XFDDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=eff51fadbfb9f7f9651b92aa8b1baebbcff1675da956d4e790200f79af52762e&width=400&height=225)
A platter of desert truffles for sale at the Hama market
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YZSPB2VJFWQFT723JEHQXMURDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=2186488825a9391a7cd8c237af5aff87538df1e05cf4871974f944d4bcb3741a&width=400&height=225)
Sorting desert truffles at the market
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7CBMHX53B3YX4SM4SDH5XEQGPA.jpg?smart=true&auth=3338913e892907fe7e8b8b0ffe4bcadc053696ca626714c4ea32c28b4b6309f7&width=400&height=225)
A merchant presents desert truffles at the Hama market. The prized fungi are known as 'yellow gold'
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/63HORA5ZGIOMWLEQII3M2BSVUM.jpg?smart=true&auth=16920608c2ec930beb903425db304556a01809a283294e27831a32b440e0e943&width=400&height=225)
Stallholders sort desert truffles at the Hama market. They are collected between February and April
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PWSVQ77U6KVUDZE3X2YJNPKII4.jpg?smart=true&auth=cc267bab69d60be4959953aba4cf220b301d8e6683bbedd45750a3a0a3d80d88&width=400&height=225)
Truffles for sale in Hama. Each season, hundreds of impoverished Syrians search for the yellow gold in the vast Badia Desert region
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YZS3G2E7XIYKLXEXWDRDHTIZOA.jpg?smart=true&auth=1ecc6dccf42d7056f1b6c3e45189ccfe9384743b8f93cfe42df59e1600bc9315&width=400&height=225)
Truffle hunting is a dangerous pursuit, as the Badia Desert is a hideout for extremists and is littered with landmines
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TVUSGJN4I2Y7WPOSJ4VJABSCEU.jpg?smart=true&auth=b684944d24ab310ab4ca57f0ae9e87cc3b9e7ea55c0f55b8f64609f35d26ecfd&width=400&height=225)
In the 2023 season, more than 130 truffle hunters have been killed, mostly by extremists and mines, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GNXCKPEMRCCDHVWAIN52G5BFYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=966ebeff57a070b20e4482632b8a2b2f846b7da77a1a0c755c67304135053aec&width=400&height=225)
Stallholders sort their desert truffle stock at the market in Hama, west-central Syria
At least 18 truffle collectors killed in Syria by suspected ISIS militants
Militants set fire to 11 vehicles during the attack, which took place in a desert near the town of Kobajeb in Deir Ezzor province
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The National
06 March, 2024
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